Automatically-locking sash-holder



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

R. K. BROWN. A AUTGMATIGALLY LOCKING SASH HOLDER.

v No. 577,157. Patented Feb. 16. 1897.

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AUTOMATIGALLY LooKmG sAsH Humm. No. 577,157. Patented Feb. 16, 1897.

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ROBERT KNOX BROVN, OF VHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATICALLY-LOCKING SASH-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,157, dated February 16, 1897.

Application led May 26,1896. Serial No. 593,157. (No model.)

Be it known that I, ROBERT KNOX BROWN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Whitinsville, county of Viforcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically- Locking Sash-Holders, of which the following is a specification. I

Myinvention relates to automatically-locking sash-holders, and more particularly to that class of sash-holders in which a locking rackbar on the edge of the window-sash is used in connection with a catch bolt or tooth mounted in the window-frame; and my objects are to provide a device of this character which shall automatically operate to lock the lower or upper sash of windows in any desired position, to make such a holder as would be adapted for use upon all kinds of windows which lower and raise, and more particularly to car-windows and light windows in houses, and, further, to so construct the locking mechanism that it will be readily adapted to windowsashes of dierent sizes without necessitating the employment or the manufacture of holders of Widely different dimensions in order to meet the requirements of sashes of different thicknesses; and my object is further to provide a simple, durable, and eifective sashholder of the character defined in which the parts shall be of the fewest number,compactly arranged, and when in use entirely hidden from view, with the exception of the device for working the catch bolt or tooth.

IVith these objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts and details thereof, as hereinafter described and claimed, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis an elevation of upper and lower windows, partly in section,with my sash-hold- Fig. 2 is an enlarged front View of the sash-holder. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, in connection with a detached portion of sash and frame. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4 4, Fig. 2, in connection with a detached portion of the window sash and frame, looking from the outside. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view on the line 5 5, Fig. 3, omitting .the window sash and frame. Figs. 6 and 7 are side and front views of the end portion of the locking rack-bar.

In the drawings, where the same characters refer to the same parts in all the views, Aindicates one side of a window-fram e, the inside box-strip of which is removed. B is the lower sash, and C the upper sash, each of which has the usual vertical stiles b c and the meetingrails d d', and E represents the inner box-strip.

The preferred form'of my sash-holder consists, essentially, of an open bottom casting F, forming a casing for carrying the several parts, provided with projecting lips or iianges f at each end, which are countersunk in the window-frame A and secured thereto by the usual fastening devices, Within which casing is pivotally mounted a spring-operated plate G, carrying the locking tooth or bolt I for engaging the teeth of the locking rack-bar on the vertical stile of the window-sash.

The plate G is mounted upon a pivot-pin g, passing through the side walls of the casing F, and this plate is preferably made so as to neatly iit between the two side walls of the casing without binding as said plate is moved back and forth between said Walls during the operation of locking and unlocking the sash.

Near the free end of the plate G is a transverse slot or opening I-I, formed in an enlargement at that end of the plate, and mounted in said slot is a looking bolt or tooth I, carried by a screw J, passing transversely through the side walls of said slot II, the said tooth being laterally adjustable on said screw. By

so mounting the locking bolt or tooth it can be adj usted laterally on the plate, before the latter is assembled in the casing, by means of the screw J, so as to bring the tooth'or bolt in the proper position to engage the locking rack-.bar K, set in a groove in the center of the vertical stile of the Window-sash, the said adjustment of the tooth being made to accommodate different thicknesses in various window-sashes.

The locking-tooth I is normally pressed outward in engagement with the locking rack- ,bar K by means of a suitable spring engaging the back of the plate G and fixed part of the device. I have shown a preferable construction for effecting this result, which consists IOO A as desired by means of the nut l.

of a screw-bolt L, the head of which is sca-tod in a countersunk hole in one iiange f of the casing F, the shank passing through the hole and the free end of the plate G, and provided on its inner end with a nut l, between which nut and the plate G is confined a helical spring s, whose tension can be adjusted It will thus be seen that the locking-tooth I will be normally pressed outward in engagement with the tooth on locking rack-bar, and in order to release or unlock said tooth from the said locking-bar I provide, preferably, a push-lever in the form of a bell-crank lever M, pivoted to a guide flange or lip N, extending outwardly from one side of the casing F, the said lever working in a recess n, formed on the guide-flange. v The inner or short end of the lever m loosely contacts with the end .of the plate G, and the long or outer end n' projects outwardly beyond the inner boxstri-p of the frame, and is preferably provided with a lateral lip or extension m, forming a broad bearing-surface for grasping the lever with the thumb or finger, and secured to the guide-li p, just below the recess therein, is a horizontal plate O, which forms a grasp for the linger and acts as a fulcrum for pulling the unlocking-lever downward when it is desired to disengage the locking-tooth from the rack-bar.

The side wall of the recess n may act as a stop for limiting the outward movement of the plate G and tooth carried thereby, the inner end of the lever M being confined in its outermost position between the said plate and side wall.

The guide lip or plate N, it will be observed, is constructed to fit snugly against and aline with the box-strip, Fig. 1, the only part of the device that is visible being` the inner end of the unlocking-lever M and the fulcrumplate O.

The locking rack-bar is preferably constructed, as shown in the drawings, with a series of teeth between two plain end portions 70, in which. end portions are mounted friction-rolls P,loosely j ournaled in circularbearings consisting of segmental` cylindrical recesses formed in the bar, the said rolls being confined thereto by-sheet-metal strips Q, bent so as to inclose the ends and sides of the bar, leaving` an aperture through which a portion of the antifriction-roll P projects into contact with the window-frame. lThis locking rackbar is secured to the sash by means of staples Y, embracing the bar, preferably at the last tooth thereof, and passing into the sash, and the opposite sides of the sash may be provided with antifriction-rolls by simply cutting small sections of the bars at the ends carrying the rolls and securing the same at each of the corners in the same manner, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1. Thismode of fastening the bar to the sash is a simple and effective means for the purpose, since it does not weaken the bar as screw-bolts would,while it is cheaper as wcll as stronger than the ordinary fastening means, and the provision for mounting the antifriction-rolls in a recess in the bar, thus necessitating only one piece of material for the purpose, possesses similar advantages over the old way of forming these antifriction-rolls.

My device thus described may be applied readily to any size or kind of window, whether the windows have weights or cords ornot, but it is especially adapted for use in railway-car windows and windows that are raised and lowered by hand, and, as shown in the drawings, it is applied to the window-frame near the upper rail of the lower sash and the lower rail of the upper sash and near enough to said rails to permit the opening of the windows to full length and still lockA the same. The locks for the two sashes are entirely independent of each other, so that both sashes may be parti-ally opened, if desired, and locked as ef# fectually as with the usual method of locking these two sashes together at the meeting-rails, which latter is possible only when both sashes are closed entirely. vice embodies a distinct advantage over the customary form of sash-fasteners, and it will be observed that my device embodies a further advantage that it cannot be easily tampered with or forced from the outside, even though a hole be broken in the glass of the window large enough for a mans hand to reach through and unlock from the outside, since the sash, as it is moved with one hand, would carry the hand grasping the unlocking-arm away from the latter, thus releasing it, thereby causing the sash to be again automatically locked. It is plain, therefore, that in order to unlock from the outside it wouldbe necessary to break out a whole light of glass.

lVhen my device is 'fixed to the upper sash, the outer end of the long lever-arm of the bellcrank lever is made straight, as shown at lll', Fig. l, to the end of which is attached a chain or cord R, extending downward within easy reach of the hand, and, if desired, the movement of the upper sash may be effected by a single operation of the cord or chain simply by reeving the cord R through a pulley S, located on the meeting-rail of the upper sash, up through a pulley S on the frame at the top, thence downward within easy reach of the hand, the lower end of which cord may be provided with a pull or tassel, if desired.

While it is preferable to employ the lever for pressing the spring-actuated plate G inward to unlock the sash, it is obvious that a push-bar may be used for this purpose, such, for example, as that shown in myprior patent, No. 510,154, dated December 5,1893, and other changes may be made in the details of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an automatically-locking sash-holder, the combination with the sash with tooth-en gaging devices thereon, of a spring-actuated For this reason my de- IOO IIO

plate pivotally supported on the windowframe, a tooth carried by and adjustable laterally on the plate and normally in engagement with the side of the sash, with means for pushing the plate inward, to release the tooth from the sash, substantially as described.

2. In an automatically-locking sash-holder, the combination with the window-sash having engaging teeth on its side, of a casing seated in the recess in the window-frame, a plate pivotally supported in said casing at one end and provided with a transverse slot at its free end, a screw-threaded bolt mounted in said slot, a tooth carried by said screw-threaded bolt, a spring normally pressing the free end ot' the plate outward and the tooth in engagement with the side of the sash, a lever pivoted on the casing having one arm in engagement with the face of the plate and the other arm projecting outwardly from the windowframe, substantially as described.

3. In an automatically-lockin g sash-holder, the combination with the sash having a locking rack-bar on its side, of a casing seated in a recess in the window-frame, a plate pivotally supported in said casing and carrying at its free end a tooth adj ustably mounted thereon, a screw-threaded bolt passing through the face of the casing and the free end of the plate and havinga nut on its inner end, with a spring confined between the nut and the end of the plate, and means for pushing the plate inward to disengage the tooth from the side of the window-sash, substantially as described.

4. In an automatically-locking sash-holder, the combination with the window-sash having a locking rack-bar mounted in the side thereof, of a casing having a guide flange or lip extending from one side in alinement with the box-strip on the window-frame and seated in a recess in the window-frame,a spring-actuated plate pivotally supported at one end in said casing, a tooth mounted on the free end of the plate and normally in engagement with the rack-bar of the window-sash, a lever fulcrumed on the guide-lip of the casing having one arm engaging the plate and the other arm extending outwardly from the window-frame, substantially as described.

5. In a sash-holder, the combination with the window-sash, of a rack-bar having plain end portions provided with segmental cylindrical recesses, and antifriction-rolls journaled in said recesses, with a sheet-metal.

of the bar, and a staple embracing the rackbar and fastening the same to the windowsash, substantially as described.

7. In an automaticall y-'lockin g sash-holder, the combination with the sash, of a plate pivotally supported in a recess in the windowi'rame, a tooth carried by said plate and normally held in engagement with the side of the sash andlockingthe same, alever having one end in contact with said plate and the other end projecting outwardly from the windowframe, pulley or cord-guide mounted on the meeting-rail of the sash, and asecond pulley or guide mounted on the window-frame, with a cord attached to the end of the lever and passing through the pulley or guide on the meeting-rail of the sash and over the pulley on the frame, down to the hand, substantially as described. v

8. As a new article of manufacture, an automatically-locking sash-holder consisting of a casing having a iiange projecting from one side thereof provided with a recess n and adapted to be seated within a recess in the window-frame, a spring-actuated plate pivotally supported between the side walls of said casing, a tooth carried by the free end of said plate and adapted to engage the side of a window-sash when in place, and a lever pivoted in the recess of the lange of the casing and having one arm engaging the plate and the other arm projecting outwardly beyond the flange, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

ROBERT KNOX BROVN.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE B. HAMBLIN, ARBA S. NoYEs. 

